THE England Cricket Team are in turmoil after Wymeswold-based head coach Peter Moores was sacked following disagreements with captain Kevin Pietersen, who has resigned.

After overseeing the success story that is the English Cricket Academy at Loughborough,, Moores spent 18 months in the England job winning three of his seven series.

Pietersen recently described his relationship with Moores as ‘strained’ in a national newspaper article with reports suggesting that the skipper demanded the ECB sack the coach or he resigned.

The ECB’s managing director Hugh Morris’s said the board had decided to ‘relinquish’ Moores’s roles.

“I have the greatest respect for the dignity which Peter Moores has shown in recent days when he has found himself under extreme pressure.

“The ECB wish him well in his future roles. I would also like to thank him for his contribution as England Team director and his work as National Academy director.”

Kevin Pietersen’s resignation was accepted late on Wednesday ‘with regret’ by the ECB.

Morris’s statement continued “I have an extremely high respect and regard for Kevin Pietersen but this has become an impossible situation given the irretrievable breakdown of the relationship between captain and coach.”

From South African, where he is on holiday, the former skipper stated: “In light of recent communications with the ECB, and the unfortunate media stories and speculation that have subsequently appeared, I now consider that it would be extremely difficult for me to continue in my current position with the England cricket team.

“I still fully intend to be a part of both England’s Test and One Day International squad to tour the West Indies next month and to do all I can to recapture the Ashes during the summer.”

The news is disastrous for English cricket with factions seemingly developing in the dressing room following Pietersen’s public outbursts just days before a tour of the West Indies and with the Ashes only six months away. Andrew Stauss has agreed to captain England in the Caribbean.

Moores has been linked with the vacant position of head coach at Lancashire.